Western Railroad Discussion > Brightline

https://www.yahoo.com/news/high-speed-rail-between-la-011324811.html

Yes I know this belongs in the Passenger group but t'aint my point. I've been following this out of interest since the idea was floated
several years ago. I also know the talk has been between "they're nuts" and "they're ready to start", but damn the part about the fact 
that they'e already invested $600M and acquired all the required end-to-end property is a total eye opener! Talk about capital investment
not to mention they're ponying up 70% of the total and have applied to the Feds for the balance. This is Space X vs/NASA-Boeing all
over again!

Out 

I never thought they would get this close either but I am impressed. Using the I15 median ROW was smart, according to their general route map it looks like they are going to go up through Mountain Pass which has a serious grade. I looked at their EIA for more detailed maps and if I'm reading it correctly they have a couple of ideas about that area and one includes a few tunnels. It will be fun to see them do this if they get the funding.

As mentioned they have much political support and certainly have enough earnest money in this project to be taken seriously. They
will start with or without government money. So my big (or little) point to all this is the videos coming out of places in the Northeast
with shortlines putting spurs and line back in for customers, all the way to the BNSF triple track. And throw in all the port projects and
transloads going in, most with faith and hard fought money. The roots of rhe industry are growing and with any luck the tree will
follow suit!

Out 

I think it will be done. But to be open by the Olympics? That would be a surprise.

Privately owned by Groupo Mexico through the Florida East Coast RR.
Real vision with this project.
Not so focused on next quarter's earnings.
They will score big time over the next 25-50 years with the resulting real estate developments.

GN1969 Wrote:
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> Privately owned by Groupo Mexico through the
> Florida East Coast RR.

Nope. Brightline was divested from the FEC. It is owned by the Fortress Group.

> Not so focused on next quarter's earnings.

Don't delude yourself with excuses. There are many challenges to Brightline West, and the article is distracting you with typical fake optimism propaganda.

> They will score big time over the next 25-50 years
> with the resulting real estate developments.

Miami - West Palm Beach - Orlando is a narrow travel corridor bordered by the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. And that corridor is already populated so real estate developments are not that difficult. Also ideal for passenger rail.

Don't confuse Florida with Brightline West, a big mistake TO members make when they are too lazy to exercise critical thinking. Go ahead and invest your money in condos and hotels for desert tortoises and big horn sheeps. Good luck trying to find enough water to make the real estate sustainable. 

And nope, I'm not neglecting Las Vegas. They've been doing fine, including real estate WITHOUT Brightline. In fact, the casino interests that started Brightline West bailed and sold XpressWest to Brightline. They probably know something pipe dream train lovers don't regarding real estate.

Fortress Investment Group, BrightLine 's parent is owned by SoftBank. SoftBank has said they plan to sell FIG to Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund.

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cchan006 Wrote:
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> Miami - West Palm Beach - Orlando is a narrow
> travel corridor bordered by the Everglades and the
> Atlantic Ocean. And that corridor is already
> populated so real estate developments are not that
> difficult. Also ideal for passenger rail.

Thanks, I am glad to see someone make a point about how geography affects travel demand. Having these constraints to focus travel demand beats putting a point to point, fixed route line in a perfect plain.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Fortress Investment Group, BrightLine 's parent is
> owned by SoftBank. SoftBank has said they plan to
> sell FIG to Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund.

That "news" is about 8 months old, but the gossip has resurfaced earlier this month (May). I hinted at this last year, but I shouldn't brag, because I was cryptic. :-)

I did some research a while ago regarding the Softbank purchase of Fortress when TO members were jumping in joy thinking that Softbank has unlimited money --> Brightline West will "succeed!" Glad I wasn't the sucker. Lots of dirty "inside baseball" involved that snookered Masayoshi Son of Softbank.

I'm not sure if Mayasoshi Son will succeed in unloading Fortress to someone else. They've reported severe losses the past 2 quarters, and dumping Fortress for cash last year should have been a no brainer on the surface. But it didn't happen. People in Abu Dhabi probably are suspicious, and their waiting is paying off, since Softbank has lost even more money since then.

Regardless of what happens, good luck to "unlimited money."